Understanding factors associated with mental health treatment discharge outcomes among military-connected children and adolescents

Children and adolescents in military families face a heightened risk of adverse mental health outcomes compared to their civilian peers. While research has enhanced our understanding of the mental health challenges in this population, a critical gap remains in studies focusing on discharge outcomes—an essential component for optimizing mental health treatment and service delivery. This study, grounded in a developmental perspective, analyzed electronic health record data from the Cohen Veterans Network Inc. to explore service utilization characteristics and factors influencing discharge outcomes among child (n = 1,198) and adolescent (n = 1,048) clients from military and veteran families. Findings revealed that episodes of care involving child clients had higher odds of positive discharge outcomes compared to adolescent clients. Logistic regression analyses showed that the number of therapy sessions and specific ICD diagnoses were significantly associated with positive discharge outcomes across both age groups. However, depression diagnoses were uniquely associated with discharge outcomes among adolescents, while conduct disorder and acute stress diagnoses were significant only among children. These findings offer valuable insights for clinical practice, particularly in enhancing treatment completion rates among military-connected youth by addressing developmental differences and tailoring interventions to their specific needs.